MTBMW: Wealth, Pride and Love

MTBMW 8: Formed Alliance

"You're allergic to peanuts."

Nagulat silang lahat sa aktong ginawa ni Hebe. She was holding Seth's hand and staring at him. "A-, may peanuts ba?" Seth replied. She nodded at napansing nakahawak siya sa kamay nito. Hebe hurriedly withdrawn her hand.

"Allergic ka pala, kuya?" ani Cybele. Nakatingin ito sa dalawa.

"Oo nga, di namin alam." sambat din ni Silvan. Patuloy lamang siya sa pagkain at sinawalang bahala na lang ang nangyari. On the other hand, Apollo was really curious kung bakit alam ni Hebe. They were never really close with her. Wala naman talaga silang koneksyon kung hindi lang sila nautusan ng kanilang ama para sa lintek na kondisyon.

"Yeah" nilapag ni Seth ang tinidor at kinuha nalang muli ang kanyang libro. "Also didn't know. Pano mo nalaman, Ms. Belle?" Hebe thought of an alibi. Hindi naman niya pwedeng sabihing she's been observing Seth since she came into the palace. Nakakahiya naman non. Seth looked at her too, also waiting for her response.

"Narinig ko lang.. sa maids. Oo, narinig ko lang dun" Silvan and Cybele believed her alibi, again. Nahulog na naman sa kasinungalingan ni Hebe. Seth shrugged it off. Nagpapasalamat na lang din siyang naalala nito kundi ay malaki na ang problema niya ngayon. Si Apollo lang ang hindi naniwala. He wasn't fully convinced with what she said. Ang galing naman at naalala niya iyon, na-isip niya. It has been 6 years since Seth came home dahil siya ang unang umalis sa kanilang lima. That means Hebe only had a year spent with him from the distance, but still she remembered that little detail. Nakakapagtaka iyon para kay Apollo ngunit itinuon nalang niya ang kanyang tingin sa ginagawang musika.

Lumipas ang ilang minuto ay nagpaalam na si Hebe na aalis na siya. She noticed that Apollo didn't fully believe in her alibi and he's being observing towards them, Seth & her. Palabas na siya sa pintuan ng biglang may tumabi sa kanya. Sabay silang lumabas ni Seth at naglakad. She felt happier that way, sa tingin niya'y ligtas siya mula kay Ares dahil magkasama silang dalawa. Apollo, back in the library door, followed them both with a look.

"Were they really that close?" pag-iintriga ni Silvan sa dalawang lumabas.

"Oo nga, they look comfortable with each other" sabat naman ni Cybele na busy sa kanyang kinakalikot sa cellphone. Nagkatinginan naman sila Apollo at Silvan, siyempre ay hindi maaari 'yon.

"Sus, di naman siguro" - Silvan

"Can i ask a question?" biglaang sambit ni Cybele. Sa puntong ito ay gusto ng lumabas ng mga lalake sa silid. Cybele is not really an extrovert person but she observes a lot. Tatahimik lang siya sa gilid ngunit nagmamatyag na siya sa kanyang mga kasama.

"Why did kuya Ares proposed to ate Hebe?"

They both came up with the same lie. Siyempre ay halata namang hindi ito totoo pero yun na rin ang best resort nila.

"Gusto niya"
"He likes her"

She didn't buy it, of course, but the boys were thankful kasi hindi na siya nagtanong muli.

"Oh, but ate would never like a guy like him" she blabbed while scrolling through her phone. Sa isip niya, gusto niya lang namang malaman kung interesado talaga ang kanyang mga kaharap kay Hebe.

"Pano mo naman nasabi?" Apollo asked with a chuckle. Nadismaya siya dahil nagtanong talaga si Apollo. It meant he was really interested with her. Hindi lamang guni guni ang kanyang naramdaman kanina.

"I guess a girl's instinct never go wrong."

"Ano?"

"I mean, I know her and he's not her type talaga." Apollo listened to her attentively kaya napansin niyang hindi pa ito na-sa-satisfy sa kanyang sagot. "I'm the closest person to ate, kaya!" she added proudly and looked up from her phone to Apollo. Apollo loosened his shoulders and a brilliant plan crossed his mind, or evil.

"Cyb, sama ka? I'll go to the mall." Tumayo na si Silvan at niligpit ang kanyang kinainan. "I'll stay a bit longer, kuya"

Natuwa si Apollo dahil naiwan silang dalawa ni Cybele. Lumipas ang ilang minuto matapos umalis si Silvan ay kumuha siya muli ng maiinom para sa kanilang dalawa.

"Cybele, are you and Hebe really close?" Apollo tried to sound as casual as possible but Cybele have been interpreting everything on a deeper, malicious level. "Oo"

"Can you tell me about her?"

Cybele's heart dropped but at the same time saw it as a chance to become closer with Apollo. Sa tingin niya ay ok na rin iyon para magkasama sila ng matagal. She started talking and sharing things about Hebe Aphrodite without knowing that Apollo was taking advantage of her feelings.